RUN AWAY || changlix [✔]

four

"aren't your parents worried? i mean it has almost been two days" felix turned his head towards changbin has he removed his shirt, using it as a beach towel he could seat on.

"i know them, they're not that worried, they perfectly know i'm going to come back. i turned my phone off. i just want to escape reality for a while, do whatever i want and enjoy life as much as i can" confessed changbin while burying his bare toes under the burning white sand.

"you're really weird" felix laughed again, resting his back on the sand and placing his arms just behind his head to prop this one up. "but i like it" his eyes were glued on the blue cloudless sky above them.

it was seven in the morning yet the burning sun was already rising up in the sky. felix had woken them up early in the morning, telling the smallest he had a surprise for him. they practically were the only one laying on the beach, felix knew this place by heart so he knew how to spot the less crowded places. they were now both shirtless, they removed the rest of their clothes because the heat was unbearable.

the place was silent, only rhythmed by the soft sound of the metronymic waves gently crawling to the shore, carelessly dribbling onto the sand as it left some froth behind as an only memory. the sky was filled with some birds, their soft chirping echoing in the boys ears.

the groaning sea was cladded with a riparian-blue gown, in perfect harmony with the vast and infinite blue of the sky.

changbin was entranced by the beauty of the sea, its perfect colour and the secrets it held. he first wondered why felix brought him in a such place but now that he was comfortably settled, he didn't want to leave, not in the least bit. again, all his worries were just drifting away, this time distracted and driven by the quivering power of the waves in front of him.

"do you know how to swim?" felix asked, just to be sure.

changbin nodded, still gazing at the sea. suddenly, the australian got up as he grabbed the smallest's wrist, forcing him to follow his septs. they were now running on the white sand, neither caring about the world nor about anyone. at that moment, felix realized that changbin and him were similar. he enjoyed simple things too as much as he enjoyed the latter's presence.

he felt a bit sad thinking about the fact that changbin was going to go back home one day. he was definitively going to miss him. even though they would still be in contact, it wouldn't be the same thing. felix secretly prayed for changbin not to take his decision too soon. leaving alone during all these years was a bit lonely even though he was luckily used to it now.

they stopped just in front of the limit between the sand, their feet and the sea. before taking a deep breath, felix's hand slowly slid along changbin's wrist to intertwine their fingers in a rather messy way before taking another step and finally touching the water, his melodious laugh echoing again in the smallest's ears. laugh he couldn't get rid of. laugh he couldn't never get rid of.

at his turn, changbin realized something. he recalled the sentence felix pronounced yesterday and realized it was also true. everything was really as if he had known the australian forever. yet it wasn't a bad thing, he just felt so comfortable with felix, constantly draped in some sort of cotton made of cloud, trapped in another fantastic world. their fantastic world. he didn't mind being stuck forever in it.

australia wasn't that bad after all. australia owned beautiful and peaceful seas, illuminated cities, joy and most of all - it owned felix.

their laughs replaced the silence. their bright smiles matched with the sun. together, they could create the world.

after enrolling in a fierce battle, both of them desperately trying to push the other in the water, they finally gave up, both jumping into it. felix got back to the surface a few seconds after because of the lack of oxygen. he shook his head to get rid of the small water drops dripping from his hair which took a darker tone on his wet forehead. he was getting a bit worried because changbin was still under water, but he let out a sigh of relief when he saw the latter emerging a few meters away from him, spluttering the salty water he had swallowed by accident.

he then came a bit closer to felix to reassure him while laughing and explaining himself.

"i'm not good at holding my breath"

"idiot, you really scared me" the red-haired boy sighed again.

"i did? cute, felix is now worried about me" teasingly said the korean.

"yah, stop that" whined felix while pouting.

they just spent the rest of the day in their own world, on this peaceful beach either playing in the water as if it was the first time they discovered the sea or just lying on the sand, next to each other, their arms slightly brushing. each time they would touch, both of them would timidly shift their arm because of the burning sensation of the contact.

changbin just closed his eyes, enjoying the sweet melody of the sea, each wave crashing on the shore resonating as a musical note. this scenery suddenly made him remember the acoustic guitar leaning on one of felix's bedroom walls. the australian mention the fact he knew how to play certain instruments and now changbin was a bit more curious than before. he wondered what felix's music sound like. was it as melodious as his laugh or did it sound just like the melody he was hearing?

when it was noon, felix asked changbin if he wanted to go back home since the sun was starting to get higher in the sky and the temperatures were just rising. they couldn't risk a heatstroke. changbin agreed - it wasn't like he was forced too - so they initiated the walk bringing them home. they put their shirts back on; again, walking shirtless under the burning australian sun was a bit risky. walking barefoot must have been weird too but the heat was too stifling that even wearing shoes became a torment.

just before quitting the place they were lying on, felix had picked up a shell, half-buried in the sand and was no handing it to changbin.

"i became nostalgic while silently watching the sea. if you put your ear close to you it you'll hear the sound of the sea. keep it as a souvenir, you know when...when you'll go back home. you'll remember this day and - me at the same time" saying this kind of thing was quite embarrasing so felix was turning his head towards the opposite side.

changbin smiled, fully aware of the australian's intentions. it warmed his heart, knowing that felix was thinking of him. he took the shell and didn't loosen his grip, holding it thightly to make sure he won't lose it, joyfully continuing his walk towards felix's house. maybe this shell had a more important meaning for changbin than felix could actually imagine.